2022 has been a big year not so much for new home projects as trying to keep up fixing things.
First, a gang shootout at the nearby cross street using an automatic weapon that sounded like a jackhammer made several holes in my garage, garage door, and one of the bullets penetrated my garage and broke a side window of my car and lodged itself in the corner of the windshield frame, cracking the windshield too, as well as damaging the glove box. The bullets were .223's.
It took a month to get my car hauled away and fixed by the more recommended shop my insurance deals with. A month of making a lot of phone calls, even just trying to get my car picked up. I didn't want to drive it because that's not good with broken windows that can injure people inside or outside the car.
Then it took many months for me to get around to having my contractor come and repair the bullet holes in my garage and garage door. I spent days ahead of time doing the paint matching, which took two trips to Sherwin Williams (they gave me a color fan on the first trip to enable me to match 3 different faded shades of the house color, and I had one big piece of paint from the trim).
I tried to get a prior estimate, but that contractor (recommended by a friend) looked at everything carefully and made measurements but never called me back, despite repeated attempts to reach him.
During the bullet hole repairs, they also patched a bit of the trim and siding that had rotted. So the garage front looks better than ever from the street.
***
Just a few days before the shooting, someone twisted the metal of my garage front lamp. I carefully twisted it back. They may have been trying to figure out if the lamp had a hidden camera. It has a metal motif that looks like The Lone Ranger somewhat suspiciously. But there's no camera there.
*****
After the shooting I added a new little Wyze camera, notably on the south side right above where the bullet hole was and facing the nearby street corner. The Wyze does have audio. Previously I had only used one Wyze camera to monitor the outdoor cat (who now has indoor privileges, but I still monitor the cat house).
I bought a new wired camera with audio to replace the one on the north side (and give my camera DVR at least ONE audio source) but realized I'll have to move massive amounts of stuff out of the way and back. It will be a week's project at minimum, and I haven't had time.
After a second gun firing incident (low power gun, I've seen no holes) I started working on an outside mount for a solar powered high resolution camera good enough to read license plate numbers as cars drive by. But this project has stalled too. I have the solar powered camera, made by Reolink.
*****
The front door lamp was flickering because the LED bulb was going bad. But I couldn't unscrew it because the lamp socket and the bulb had fused, AND the lamp socket had come unscrewed from the frame of the lamp. This is a very nicely styled lamp with replaceable light sensor which was rare and expensive. I removed the lamp and socket and got the bulb removed, then I re-attached the socket (which was a fine ceramic socket) using the original nut and Red Loctite (the permanent kind). The factory should have used something like Red Loctite.
Prior to fixing the lamp, I had been getting by with some little power hungry incandescent bulbs around the door, donated by a friend. She bought them because they were cheap...of course they were cheap because incandescent bulbs were cheap to make, suck a lot of power, and are generally being discontinued.
****
The laundry room lamp had a similar problem. But I still haven't fixed, because I planned a new elaborate installation with an Insteon occupancy detector. But Insteon products became unavailable (probably because of chips) and then I bought used Insteon stuff on eBay to do this, but then discovered the stuff I got was the older kind which doesn't combine RF and line carrier control and is hence less reliable than the newer kind I would have bought directly from Insteon if they hadn't run out of stock. I've been afraid to test it to see if it would work.
****
The main drain seemed to be sticking and a plumber came out and cleared it. They advised me I had roots and should get the main drain replaced where it goes down about 3 feet from the house. For replacing that three feet, they quoted me $3000. I declined. My regular plumber had not been available.
I got my own fiber optic camera and took a look, where I saw how close to the house the problem was. There are no plants in the area, I had long ago removed all plants from that area to prevent root problems. But one potted plant nearby had grown long roots into the ground.
I put large pavers underneath each large potted plant in front to prevent that from happening in the future. There have been no more problems and I don't expect any for awhile. The last "root" problem was about 10 years ago.
I also got a small router I could use to clean the roots.
*****
The master bedroom toilet started flushing more and more, ultimately every few hours. I bought a new valve to fix it, but then realized I needed to remove the bowl to do that, a big ordeal. Then I found out the usual cure for American Standard toilets is to merely clean the valve seat with a brush. Actually I used a cloth soaked in vinegar. That mostly fixed it, I could do some more of that at some point. It still may ghost flush about after 15 hours or so but I rarely leave it that long anyway.
I did replace the upper part of the valve though that probably wasn't necessary.
I applied similar treatment to the hallway toilet and mostly stopped its ghost flushing problem too, which had been worse then the master toilet until a few months ago.
*****
I had a melanoma which was removed. This was the biggest skin surgery I've ever had, and required stitches which needed to be in for 2 weeks, then further healing for 2 weeks. I was not permitted to get "sweaty" during the first two weeks, and the bandage made moving my arm difficult anyway.
*****
I had a bad tooth which resulted in 5 appointments before I got it pulled. One dentist and then also the Dental School wanted to me to see an endodontist before pulling the tooth but the original endodontist who worked on this tooth 6 years ago told me it was problematic and the root canal would only last 5-7 years and it might be worth considering other options even then. I chose to go ahead with the root canal because I already had the crown. But I believe the root cracking had already started, which is why the endodontist warned me about it. Finally when I went to an Oral Surgeon, he did a panoramic X-Ray and concluded the tooth was bad. I had it pulled on the next appointment. And then after seeing the first dentist the first time, I got a professional night guard on another appointment. I decided (even before the tooth was pulled) that the night guard wasn't all that comfortable. I tried to reshape it a bit with hot water, but it seemed to me it would always be more tight than I'd like. I tried making some Oral B night guards, but I didn't like them either. Now that the bad tooth is gone, my teeth don't bother me in the morning.
General rule: If you see someone who does X they are usually going to recommend that you need X. So it's always up to us to choose who best to go to, at least if you are not constrained by Managed Care, and I insist on not being so constrained with straight Medicare and D and G Supplements.
Sadly, for Dental I'm on my own, so all of the above and more (actually the crown from 2015 itself had been replaced last year, because the Dentist said I needed to) was on my own dime. As would be Implants and a Partial. I've decided for now I can live without the tooth or any kind of replacement. It appears that many many people opt for that option.
The remember-nothing anesthesia for the tooth extraction cost $1299, all out of my pocket. The actual extraction was only $350.
*****
That came to mind when I started seeing cracks bigger than 3/4 inch between the ceiling and the wall in the master bath and master bedroom.
I had convinced myself since the remodeling in 2013 that there was no significant cracking. And everything was patched up anyway. But then there was a bit of summertime opening in the master bathroom. But nothing near as bad as it has been this year.
Thinking this was a roof problem and not a foundation problem I got a home inspector to check it out. He convinced me it was a foundation problem.
So I called one of the highest rated foundation repair companies. As I asked, they gave me several choices. I could add 5 piers mainly to the back of the master suite and around the corner, which was needed most. That would cost $9,000. Or I could add more piers to cover all the bedrooms, which also had significant problems. That would cost $14,000. Or I could add piers all the way around the Garage. That would cost $27,000. Or the whole house, which they said would be best of all, for $39,000.
I first chose the $9000 option. But looking at the situation more carefully, I decided the entire south side of the house plus garage needed doing, but NOT so much the rest of the garage, where there is concrete driveway and walkway preventing erosion. (And I've gotten better at sealing the gap between walkway and slab with self leveling sealant, but I haven't yet gotten around to doing the front of the garage). Anyway the entire south side is eroded (despite all my efforts to prevent that) and in many places you can see right under the foundation. I'd sometimes believed that it was foundation falling on the south side that caused the roof to tilt and therefore lift on the back side where the biggest cracking is.
I gave the estimator a call and he made a new estimate including the west side as before AND the entire south side. It was necessary to have one extra pier on the front side of the garage because they must always wrap "corners" like that. So I needed to add 6 more piers in all to the original 5 (for $9000) bringing the total price to $19,000. Once this is done, I will no longer have to worry about erosion, or "dampening" the soil with soaker hoses (which never seems to work for me or help, and often seems to make matters worse) and all the tricks like that, which obviously haven't been successful.
I'm taking most of that out of a special fund I reserved for major construction projects.
I now notice that there is a notable depression you can see from a ways back for a few feet on either side of the wall water spigot. For many years I avoided this, but recently I had to drip the faucet during the Deep Freeze of 2020 and then later a few times in 2021 and 2022. I sometimes did let it run longer than necessary. I had no actual splash block but sometime added an 8x16 paver underneath the faucet and parallel to the house. That obviously did little good.
I've purchased a 3 foot splash block online because I could not find such a thing in local stores. There used to be a grand landscaping supply company close to me where I once got the 30 inch splash block I'm using for the A/C runoff. They moved far out of town less than a decade ago, and sadly last year they closed altogether. That was the one place you could find all sorts of cement and stone things. The selection at both Lowes and Home Depot is very limiting.
I found a 3 foot splash block online, but it requires being coated with a protectant, which I also bought. I haven't gotten around to do the coating, and now I think I need another splash block for the front gutter. It has an inadequate 1 foot splash block.
*****
I already cleaned the A/C condensate drain twice this year, to prevent a repeat of the short shutdown from drain backup I had the previous year. I cleaned it before and after the official AC service. I don't think the AC company cleans it well enough...in fact I know they don't and no company ever did. My particular pipes are so small and silted up they need a lot of cleaning.
For the cleanings I let it soak in extra strength vinegar overnight (with the outside stopped up) and then attached wet/dry vac to the condensate drain and let it run while I poured more vinegar then purified water down from the inside. That really cleans it well and better than the professionals do.
*****
Speaking of purified water, the RO system was producing less and less at a time because the tank was not pumped up. I pumped up the tank in March. Then I also replaced the carbon filter cartridges in May. Now it looks like it needs pumping up again. I should probably install the replacement tank I bought several years ago but never got around to install.
******
Right after accepting the $19,000 foundation repair estimate, my Whirlpool Front Loading Washer from 2010 stopped working, with an error code which I looked up on the web. It means "communication error" and suggests that either the central controller or the motor controller board needs replacing. This will cost $280 for one board or $480 for both, according to estimate by Whirlpool website.
I seem to recall that I replaced one of these boards in 2016 for $280 or thereabouts. That was just after my 5 year extended warranty ended, of course.
I initially still though it was best to repair the washer if possible, and set up an appointment through the Whirlpool website. Then I got texts from the local company.
My appointment was set up for a week later. But just before the appointment came up, I got a text saying they hadn't gotten the part. I didn't look at it more carefully. I started researching other washers and in fact decided to buy one.
Then when I checked the emailed copy of the text message, I realized it said I should make a new appointment. I emailed back saying they should cancel the service call but the email just bounced.
So two weeks after I called in the problem, I got a text saying that they still hadn't gotten the part but would keep me posted. Two days later I called to cancel the service call, which can only be done by actually calling them and choosing the Other option twice.
I was first interested in finding a similar Whirlpool model, with sterilize and fan features, and did, and it happened to be on sale for only $780 at Lowes with 1 in stock. It was also on sale for $780 on the Whirlpool website. But I'd also need to buy a $299 pedestal if I still wanted a pedestal (I do!). And then Lowes charges $40 to pickup the old washer and another $40 to pick up the pedestal (I worried about what would happen if I didn't pay that second $40) and $30 on new "required" installation parts. Then if you add the $250 5 year service contract, it all comes to about $1500.
Anyway, I then started looking at other models. As it turned out, LG also had a model for about the same price, with all the other things priced similarly too. And it has steam, fan, and possibly even more features.
Then I found the Consumer Reports handout that rated front loading washers, and LG's are now in the top category for reliability, with Samsung and Speed Queen in the second category, and Whirlpool in the 3rd category (and no longer recommended).
Well that was pretty convincing. I found a website that talked about longevity, and they also recommended the LG 4000 model as the best front loader, but they specially recommended the top loading Speed Queen for ultimately longevity and serviceability.
I decided to go with the LG 4000. I tried ordering both from Lowes and directly from LG. Because Lowes charges for pickup of both old items and LG charges nothing for that (special limited offer) and because LG doesn't charge for extra required parts, and perhaps other things, I saved nearly $200 by buying direct from LG. BUT I have to wait until mid November.
So meanwhile I'm doing laundry at the laundrymat my friend likes which is indeed very nice but 20 slow miles away.
****
The electric range burner that I use to heat my medium pot for making spaghetti noodles was getting more and more wobbly then finally died. I bought a new burner not so carefully and it ended up being the wrong one. I bought a second burner that was the right one and got it installed. One thing about these old GE range/ovens is that they are fairly easily serviceable.
*****
I finally replaced the sliding screen door to the patio. It had big holes which were patched up with white Tyvek tape. It had been that way for years.
I first called a company that does both glass and windows. I told them I'd like to have them come out to refurbish the screen and then the wheels on the sliding glass. They never called me back.
I called another place, and they said it would take two weeks.
So I simply brought my screen to the first company. They told me they would have it measured and estimated soon. A few days later they called to say they couldn't get the wheels but were waiting on that. A week later they called and asked if I could do it without replacing the wheels, since they couldn't get them. They said they would estimate that.
Several times I tried to call I got no return call. Finally they called me with an estimate asking for my approval. I missed that call until Friday evening.
I called back on Saturday (website said they were open) but the person then told me that screens were taken care of by the person who was only there on weekdays.
By Monday I called and told them I was picking up my screen. They said OK. I took my screen straightaway to the other screen specialist.
Despite the first person saying it would take two weeks, now the assistant said they'd have it by Friday or Monday. And they gave me a price including the bottom wheels, which was a bit more than half as much as the glass place had quoted me without the wheels. This place had no problem with having the wheels, but insisted I only needed the bottom ones replaced (they were quite broken).
Indeed they had it the next Monday but I missed the call. I picked them up on the following Wednesday.
Is it any wonder that I never got stuff like this done before I retired? It was not easy to get this thing in my car and I ended up making 3 trips with it.
*****
The Insteon 8 button pad that was mainly just a switch for the garage fan was switching on and off by itself. I replaced it with a simple Leviton lighted decora switch, with the light ON when the switch is OFF (so I'd remember to turn the fan back on if it gets accidentally turned off). This time I wired the decora correctly with solid 14g wire and not the stranded wire ground which I cut off the old Insteon switch (it had a stranded ground wire soldered to the switch). Previously when I re-used such a stranded wire with an X10 switch my Electricians scolded me for it when they replaced that with Insteon. But the only 14g solid wire I could find was teflon insulated and silver coated. My ultimate hifi speaker wire. But only a little bit was needed.
*****
The patio steps were getting more and more wobbly. I figured out a solution. I cleaned out all the dirt which had accumulated underneath and between them, and then applied several beads of mortite sealant (never hardening) under each paver. It works great.
